Over the years, Lifewater Canada has installed hundreds of rainwater harvesting and storage systems to meet people’s needs during dry seasons and other times when alternate sources of water aren’t available.
Most of the systems (including 10,000-litre storage tanks) have been installed at schools or in other community settings, while other smaller systems have been located alongside people’s homes.
The original intent was that the stored water would be used for both drinking and sanitation needs. But during an evaluation in 2023 and the first part of 2024, we concluded that many schools, communities, and sometimes families weren’t keeping the storage tanks clean enough for the water coming from them to be considered safe for drinking.
In response, we have begun encouraging schools, communities, and families to use the water from their tanks only for operating toilets, hand-washing, and other sanitation needs.
Meanwhile, we still welcome donations for rainwater harvesting and storage systems, but with the understanding that the water from them is for sanitation — which is still vital for human survival — rather than for drinking.
